How to Deal with Stress and Anxiety as a Teen: Tips from a Therapist for Teens in Roswell, GA
To live as a teenager in today’s world can be nothing short of overwhelming. Every day, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are flooded with information from all corners of the world telling them who they “should be,” “how they should act,” and speaking to unattainable standards. From beauty standards to scholastic pressure, to global fears.
Truly, being a teen today is no joke. School pressure, friend drama, social media, and figuring out who you are. It’s a lot. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, or anxious, you’re not the only one. And more importantly, there are real ways to start feeling better. Working with a therapist for teens in Roswell, GA, can be a powerful first step, offering a safe space to explore what’s going on and learn tools to manage it all.
In this post, we’re breaking down what stress and anxiety are, why they happen, and how to deal with them in ways that will help. No lectures, no judgment. Just real tips that work.
What’s the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety?
To begin with, we would like to clarify the difference between stress and anxiety.
Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge. You might feel it before a big test, a sports game, or a difficult conversation.
Anxiety is more about the worry that sticks around, even when the situation is over or there's no clear reason to be stressed.
Stress is normal and can actually be helpful. Anxiety becomes a problem when it starts to interfere with your life, as in making you avoid things or constantly feel nervous.
Why You Might Be Feeling This Way
As a teen, you’re not imagining it. Being an adolescent can be genuinely stressful. Here’s why:
School is intense. Homework, exams, and the pressure to succeed can pile up fast.
Social media never stops. It can be fun, but also a source of comparison, drama, and feeling like you're never enough.
Friendships and relationships are complicated. You’re figuring out who you trust and where you belong.
You're changing. Emotionally, mentally, physically—your brain is literally rewiring itself.
So yeah, it makes total sense if you’re feeling stressed. But there are ways to manage it.
6 Real Tips That Help with Stress and Anxiety from a Therapist for Teens in Roswell, GA
1. Breathe. Seriously.
It sounds basic, but deep breathing resets your nervous system. Try this “Box Breathing” technique:
Inhale for 4 seconds.
Hold for 4 seconds.
Exhale for 6 seconds.
Repeat 3–5 times.
Even 60 seconds of this can calm your body down.
2. Limit Social Media Time
We’re not saying to delete it all, but pay attention to how you feel after scrolling. If it leaves you anxious, take a break. Try muting accounts that make you compare yourself or feel left out. Also, set a goal for how much time you would like to be on social media.
3. Talk to Someone You Trust
You don’t have to go through it alone. Talk to a parent, friend, counselor, therapist for teens, or coach. When you can process your feelings and thoughts out loud, it can truly help you heal and remain secure in who you are as a person, and helps you to realize your stress is probably not an isolated case.
4. Move Your Body
You don’t need to hit the gym—just go for a walk, dance in your room, or stretch. Physical movement helps release stress and boosts your mood. When we move our bodies, we release endorphins such as dopamine and oxytocin. Both are neurotransmitters that help to calm the body down and make you feel happier and less stressed.
5. Write It Out
Grab a notebook or use your phone’s notes app. Write out what’s stressing you or what you’re anxious about. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just helps to get it out of your head. At Renovating Hope Counseling, an app we recommend to clients is called “How We Feel.” It helps you identify the emotions you may be feeling in certain situations, and also provides an area to journal about what might be happening in your life at any given moment. This allows you to make correlations and may even provide insight into why your body is feeling anxious or stressed.
6. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep messes with your emotions when you don’t get enough. Try turning off screens an hour before bed, keeping a consistent sleep schedule, and making your room a calm space. We recommend that teens aim for a minimum of 8 hours of sleep a night. We know this can be difficult with the amount of homework and after-school activities individuals are involved in. However, sleep helps to boost those “happy hormones” and downregulates your nervous system by balancing out cortisol (one of the hormones that can cause stress).
When It’s More Than Just Stress
If your anxiety:
Keeps you from going to school.
Affects your sleep or appetite.
Makes you feel hopeless or scared all the time.
…it might be time to talk to a therapist for teens. That’s not a failure. It’s actually a smart, strong step toward feeling better.
You can start with:
A counselor.
A trusted adult.
Free teen helplines (like Teen Line or Crisis Text Line).
You’re Not Alone
Every single person you know has felt anxious or stressed at some point—even if they don’t show it. What matters most is not pretending to be fine but finding healthy ways to deal with what you're feeling.
Start with one small step from this list. Just one. That’s how real change begins.
Help Your Teen Manage Stress with a Trusted Therapist for Teens in Roswell, GA
Stress and anxiety can overwhelm even the most high-functioning teens, and they shouldn’t have to face it alone. At Renovating Hope Counseling, LLC, we offer a supportive space where teens can unpack their emotions and learn how to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and clarity.
With the guidance of a compassionate therapist for teens in Roswell, GA, your child can begin to understand their stress, develop healthy coping skills, and reconnect with who they are becoming.
Here’s how to take the first step:
Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to ask questions and see how therapy can support your teen.
Book an initial session to identify challenges, set clear goals, and begin creating a path toward healing.
Start consistent counseling sessions focused on emotional regulation, confidence building, and lasting stress management.
Your teen’s healing doesn’t have to wait. Let’s walk this journey together.
Comprehensive Therapy Services in Roswell, GA & North Metro Atlanta
In addition to teen counseling, we offer a variety of supportive services for individuals and families navigating different stages and challenges in life. Our experienced team provides individual therapy, child counseling, and family therapy aimed at building stronger relationships and emotional resilience at home. We also offer marriage and couples counseling to help partners reconnect and grow together, as well as trauma-informed care for those working through past pain with strength and support.
For clients facing specific mental health concerns, we provide targeted therapy for anxiety, depression, OCD, body image issues & disordered eating, and women’s emotional health. Our integrative approach includes specialties like brainspotting, faith-based Christian counseling, and online therapy options to meet clients where they are. We also offer functional nutrition services and sports performance coaching to promote whole-person wellness, both mentally and physically.
